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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29014377">Once a Dragon, Always a Dragon</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/EvenSpeedWeedisAfraid/pseuds/EvenSpeedWeedisAfraid'>EvenSpeedWeedisAfraid</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Hell's Yarns [13]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>American Psycho - All Media Types, Far Cry 3, Hazbin Hotel (Web Series), 北斗の拳 | Hokuto no Ken | Fist of the North Star, 龍が如く | Ryuu ga Gotoku | Yakuza (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Beating somebody up with your own severed limbs, Canon-Typical Violence, Extermination | Purge (Hazbin Hotel), Fighting an Exorcist and somehow not dying, Gen, Loss of Limbs, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Ryuji Goda is absolutely built different, Valentino Being a Jerk (Hazbin Hotel)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 13:01:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,412</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29014377</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/EvenSpeedWeedisAfraid/pseuds/EvenSpeedWeedisAfraid</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In trying to get revenge for the death of somebody close to him during the yearly Extermination, the Dragon of Kansai accidentally drags himself back into the yakuza life.<br/>What could possibly go wrong?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Goda Ryuji &amp; Nishikiyama Akira</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Hell's Yarns [13]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2058714</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Some Time Ago</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This entire chapter basically exists to give me an excuse as to give Ryuji his badass gatling gun arm from Dead Souls. Sue me.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He had waited a year for this.</p>
<p>The thin layer of snow on the streets of Hell announced the coming of the yearly Extermination. This time, it wouldn't be stained in the blood of the damned, but rather the blood of the holy.<br/>It was unadvised to leave the safety of your buildings when the heavenly hordes descended upon the streets, but the dragon running the 'Peerless Octopi' takoyaki-based restaurant had plans for this day.</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <br/>
    <em>Growin' up, you don't see the writing on the wall</em>
    <br/>
    <em>Passin' by, movin' straight ahead, you knew it all</em>
    <br/>
  </p>
</blockquote>When he was bested by Kazuma Kiryu for the third time, knowing he was going to die either way, Ryuji Goda had accepted that he wasn't the One True Dragon. His final memory before passing away from the bullets put in him by that scheming fuck Takashima... was of his sister Kaoru's smile. And he was content with that being the last thing he saw before he ceased to be.<br/>It would have been better than living in self-hate down in Hell.<p>The first few months were a pain. The locals either didn't know how to speak his language, or more likely, just didn't care. He said his name, and they decided to shorten it for their own convenience. Go-Ryu. How fitting.<br/>Just keep reminding him of his failure, why don't ya.<br/>After a while, it was just a mere annoyance, and knew it was futile to try and change things.<br/>Then, one day, an old man decided to take this giant, golden dragon he saw moping on a street corner... and make something of him.</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <br/>
    <em>But maybe sometime, if you feel the pain</em>
    <br/>
    <em>You'll find you're all alone, everythin' has changed</em>
    <br/>
  </p>
</blockquote>He taught Ryuji how to prepare takoyaki, and despite a rocky start, the apprentice made great strides in the craft. From 2007 to 2019, the old man watched from the sides and occasionally personally helped the blond-haired former yakuza make a name for himself - he knew that when his time would come, Ryuji would be the right guy to run the Peerless Octopi.<br/>When the Extermination started in 2019, Ryuji watched helplessly as his instructor stayed outside - letting the Exorcists run him through with their spears after getting some sinners to safety within the restaurant.<br/>Before the blood covered the windows to the outside, the dragon saw the old man smile to him and mouth a phrase to him.<br/><em>It'll be okay, Ryuji.</em><blockquote>
  <p>
    <br/>
    <em>Play the game, you know you can't quit until it's won</em>
    <br/>
    <em>Soldier on, only you can do what must be done</em>
    <br/>
  </p>
</blockquote>Wrapping up the last orders to be delivered tomorrow, the towering dragon demon looked outside - spotting a koi demon in a white suit clutching a pistol running past, accompanied by an imp. Soon after, one of those angel <em>bastards</em> zoomed by.<br/>His scarred lip curled up slightly in a smirk, as he grabbed his nearby katana.<br/>"[It's been awhile. Time to kick some ass.]" Propping the blade onto his shoulder, he patted down his takoyaki chef outfit and headed outside into the cold.<p>Turning towards the alley close to the building, he saw the two fools from before, cornered by a lone Exorcist. The koi had his pistol trained on the angel, while the imp decided to hide under some garbage bags. He wasn't very good at hiding, though.<br/>Despite the numbers game being in the hellish corner, Ryuji knew this wasn't going to be their day. There's no way they can take an Exorcist and live. But he can.<br/>Unsheathing his sword, the last gift his takoyaki master had given him, he threw the sheath towards the ground - right next to the angel's feet.<br/>"[Hey, fucker. Ya want a fight? 'Cause I'm rarin' to go.]"</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <br/>
    <em>You know, in some way, you're a lot like me</em>
    <br/>
    <em>You're just a prisoner, and you're tryin' to break free!</em>
    <br/>
  </p>
</blockquote>The arm of God tilted its head to the side, before turning its attention fully towards the dragon.<br/>Ryuji dashed forwards, swinging the katana downwards and making it collide with the Exorcist's spear - with enough force to make the angel <em>flinch</em>.<br/>"Holy shit, look at the cast-iron Dragon Balls on <em>this</em> guy!" The imp commented to the koi, as Ryuji kept applying pressure with each wild swing and strike of his sword.<br/>Eventually, the Spear-bearer grew tired, pushing back enough to cause the dragon to lose his grip on his sword.<br/>"[Think that's gonna stop me? I ain't stoppin 'til you <em>fuckin' pay</em> for what ya did last year!]" He roared, before throwing a powerful haymaker to the Exorcist's face, sending it stumbling back against the brick walls of the buildings surrounding them.<blockquote>
  <p>
    <br/>
    <em>I can see a new horizon, underneath the blazin' sky</em>
    <br/>
    <em>I'll be where the eagle's flyin' higher and higher!</em>
    <br/>
  </p>
</blockquote>Keeping his foe against the wall, Ryuji delivered a back-kick, again to the face. By this point, the angel's LED mask started showing cracks from the sheer strength put behind each attack.<br/>The dragon didn't let up, swinging with furious punch after furious punch, causing dents in the Spear-bearer's protective plates - dents that only grew when Ryuji grabbed onto the angel's throat and delivered knees to the gut.<br/>"Yeah, get that bastard's ass, big man! Get some!" The imp kept cheering from the sidelines, while the koi was silently watching, greatly impressed by the display.<blockquote>
  <p>
    <br/>
    <em>Gonna be a man in motion, all I need is a pair of wheels</em>
    <br/>
    <em>Take me where my future's lyin', St. Elmo's Fire!</em>
    <br/>
  </p>
</blockquote>The Exorcist had fallen to the ground by now, and Goda was about to bring his fist down with all his might.<br/>But in a split second, everything went sideways.<br/>A dull stinging pain shot through his right arm, before a jet of blood brought him back to reality.<br/>Somehow, the angel brought its spear up just in time to cleanly slice off Ryuji's forearm, which now laid on the floor.<p>If the dragon wasn't pissed before, he was <em>now.</em> Grabbing his severed limb with his remaining one, roaring in rage before brutalising the Exorcist with the very arm it had taken from him.<br/>"[Not so fuckin' tough now, huh?! Ya smirkin' sonnuvaBITCH!]" After a few moments, it had gotten to the point where the angel was just barely twitching - and Ryuji was really starting to feel the blood loss taking hold of him.<br/>Stumbling backwards, he was caught by the koi, who looked towards the imp. "Come on, help me out here!"<br/>"Uhhh, how 'bout <em>no?</em> <em>Killing</em> is my business, not saving people. But uh... good luck, I guess?"</p>
<p>The imp ran off, as the white-suit wearing koi reverted to speaking Japanese. "[Damn it, Blitzo... okay, look, stay with me now, big guy. Alright?]"<br/>Groggily, Ryuji looked towards the fish. "[Hell are ya doin'? I ain't nobody to care 'bout...]"<br/>"[I'll be the judge of <em>that</em>, thank you very much. Now hang on, I know a guy who can fix your arm situation.]"<br/>Carrying the weakening dragon towards a nearby car, the koi started driving - leaving the twitching angel laying there in the snow.</p>
<p>Hopefully, Sir Pentious has something that could replace a Exorcist-severed arm.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>A few weeks after that, Ryuji had another thing to do. The koi demon - Nishikigoi, he was called - wanted him to help out with a business deal. Despite repeated claims of no longer being a yakuza, the dragon eventually relented.<br/>After all, he owed him a debt of gratitude, for getting him to that snake's mansion and having him set up with a replacement arm.</p>
<p>He could tag along for just this one time, right?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Size of Your Steeple</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ryuji accompanies Nishiki for a partnership deal-brokering.<br/>The koi underestimated how slimy the guy he was planning on making a deal with <em>truly</em> is.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Typical Valentino skeezy content gets mentioned, fair warning.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Wednesday, January 20th 2021, 2:30PM.</strong>
</p>
<p>As Ryuji sat in the passenger seat of Nishiki's car, he sighed deeply. For as long as he's been down here, he was convinced he left the life behind. But now, looking at himself and seeing the exact same beige suit and matching pants, the same dark brown shirt underneath the suit, and the light beige coat on top of that... well, he couldn't deny that it had caught up with him.<br/>
Although, a new addition to his attire was the white glove he wore on his right hand - his prosthetic one.</p>
<p>"[You okay there? We should be getting close soon, Ryuji.]" The koi said, making the dragon slowly turn his head to look at him.<br/>
"[Still ain't told me who this meetin' is with.]"<br/>
Almost as a non-verbal answer, seconds later, neon lights bathed Ryuji from outside the car. Blinking the light out of his eyes, he saw many ads touting various lewd ventures.<br/>
"[Why the fuck are ya draggin' me to the Lust district, eh? Don't need no soapland visit right now, man,]" Ryuji muttered.</p>
<p>Sighing, Nishiki stopped his car a few minutes later. "[We're here. Try not to lose your shit, okay? I really need to make some big connections, it's all business.]"<br/>
Rolling his eyes, the dragon left the car before the koi, and glared up at the building before him.<br/>
<em>Porn Studios.</em><br/>
Fuck.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>In the penthouse, a stag in a Hawaiian shirt and faded blue jeans sat on a couch next to a man who looked like the very picture of style and masculine handsomeness - looking as if literally carved from marble. Compared to the other, the marble demon was dressed much more fashionably, a tailored suit clothing his frame. But for all intents and purposes, he paid no attention to his compatriot - too busy with the music in his headphones, you see. Better than listening to the other, for sure.<br/>
Adjusting his seating, the stag shook his head. "See, y'think you're better than me just 'cause... what, you were vice-president of some wanker stock company? Ain't bad to look at, but ya got no substance, Fore."<br/>
Fore, with all the practiced insincerity a vapid man like him is bound to have, gave a little chuckle at Buckshock's comments. It was obvious, however, that behind that fake display of amusement, he was thinking of any number of painful and horrible ways to maim, torture and murder the other.</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <br/>
    <em>And I don't want ya, and I don't need ya</em>
    <br/>
    <em>Don't bother to resist, or I'll beat ya</em>
    <br/>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>Nearby, a buff weasel demon dressed in what one could call Mad Max-worthy clothing and a helmet almost tailor-made to look intimidating. On his chest were seven self-inflicted scars, done to look like the Big Dipper's star arrangement. Grabbing a bottle of champagne from the penthouse bar, he reached into his holsters and brought out a sawed-off shotgun, deciding to use the break-loading action to pop the cork.<br/>
"Don't know about you guys, but for me? This is the good life, right here. Food, booze, bitches... only the best for the great Jagi!"</p>
<p>Just then, a door opened off the left side of the penthouse, letting a cloud of steam pour out into the lobby of it all.<br/>
A raspy voice chuckled before speaking up. "Jagi, babe... don't be gettin' too big for ya britches, or I ain't gonna give ya any more bitches."<br/>
Casually slipping a bathrobe on, Valentino looked around at his assembled entourage of hired bastards. Putting his heart-shaped shades on, he grinned. "Don't gotta hide in my fuckin' glasses now, Centerfold."<br/>
A beam of light zapped from within the reflections of Val's shades, darting to the floor and assembling into a somewhat mechanical yet rock-like mummy, half its brain exposed from a head otherwise mostly wrapped in bandages. From the sides of its jaw spouted two downwards facing spikes - and both its hands were... right hands.</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <br/>
    <em>It's not your fault that you're always wrong</em>
    <br/>
    <em>The weak ones are there to justify the strong</em>
    <br/>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>Crawling from the floor to the bar counter, two blades spouted from the mummy's wrists, sharpening them in preparation for potential fuckery.<br/>
"So... who's the poor dumbass this time?" He growled, while Jagi poured some of his champagne bottle into a shot glass and slid it over to Centerfold.<br/>
"Some fish... Nishikigoi, part a' the yakuzas," Valentino replied as he swayed to the couch, much to Buckshock's visible enjoyment. </p>
<p>A few moments later, Nishiki and Ryuji had stepped out of the elevator and into the penthouse. The koi hid it quite well, but the dragon's distaste for everyone his eyes landed on was clear as day. At Valentino's insistence, the two Japanese demons took a seat directly across from the moth pimp, the stag and the marble demon.<br/>
After a handful of greetings, the latter slid a business card over.<br/>
Ryuji picked it up, inspecting it.<br/>
"[Huh... his typeface is all fucked up,]" he muttered to Nishiki before discarding the piece of paper.</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <br/>
    <em>The beautiful people, the beautiful people</em>
    <br/>
    <em>It's all relative to the size of your steeple</em>
    <br/>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>Despite not understanding what was said, the disregard for his <em>super important</em> business card seemed to shake Fore to his core.<br/>
The longer the meeting went on for, the more Valentino's attitude was angering Ryuji. Every crass joke, every creepy grin him and the fucking stag next to him laid upon the dragon and the koi... it all came to a head about fifteen minutes in.<br/>
"Y'know, might be a good idea ta' show ya boys a lil' somethin' somethin' to... <em>incite</em> an agreement." With a snap of his fingers, a screen lowered from the wall at the furthest end of the penthouse. Once it was all the way down, it began to display something... <em>awful.</em></p>
<p>A video, seemingly filmed by Valentino himself, featuring the stag next to him - <em>Buckshock</em>, Ryuji heard him be called - engaging in sexual congress with that famous spider demon... Angel Dust, if memory serves.<br/>
The latter was quite clearly intoxicated in the footage, however.<br/>
At that moment, the mask of politeness Nishiki had put on broke <em>completely</em>, reaching into his suit jacket while nodding to Ryuji. As the dragon got up, the koi pulled out a Makarov pistol, training it on Buckshock while Ryuji moved towards Valentino.</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <br/>
    <em>You can't see the forest for the trees</em>
    <br/>
    <em>And you can't smell your own SHIT ON YOUR KNEES!</em>
    <br/>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>The marble demon, solely out of corporate boot-licking impulse, tried getting in between Ryuji and Valentino, but was met with a solid haymaker from the dragon's right hand, sending him sailing off and smashing into the screen, putting an end to the horrid footage.<br/>
"Fuck's all th-" Before he even finished asking, Valentino was grabbed by the collar and held up with one hand by Ryuji - Nishiki, meanwhile, focused on grabbing Buck and pressing his gun to the stag's temple.<br/>
Centerfold tried to intervene, zipping to try and attack Ryuji - but he was parried by the dragon's right arm flying to hit him in the exposed brain, sending him tumbling to the ground.</p>
<p>Jagi, who took his sweet time reacting, brought his second sawed-off shotgun out and aimed both at Nishiki and Ryuji.<br/>
"[You two fuckers better not mess with us, or you'll be in <em>endless pain!</em> I've got the power of Hokuto Shinken on <em>my</em> side bitches, what do <em>you</em> got? HUH?!]" The weasel shouted out, madness apparent in his voice and his wild eyes.<br/>
Glaring at him, Ryuji pushed Valentino up against the windowpanes hard enough to cause cracks in it. "[I got yer boss ready to take an express trip to the fuckin' pavement, that's what <em>I</em> got.]"<br/>
"[And <em>I</em> no longer have any interest in a partnership with any of you scum,]" Nishiki added, before bashing Buck in the back of the head with his pistol. "Take your deal and shove it, Valentino," he said in English, before stomping towards the elevator - soon joined by Ryuji.</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <br/>
    <em>There's no time to discriminate</em>
    <br/>
    <em>Hate every motherfucker that's in your way...</em>
    <br/>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>As the two yakuza left, Valentino and his entourage were left in silent shock at what transpired.<br/>
Well, except for Fore, crawling out of a Fore-shaped hole in the wall.<br/>
"FUCK, MY <em>BACK!</em>"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Other than Buckshock, this is the introduction to some more of Valentino's guys in the Hell's Yarns universe.<br/>-Jagi is fairly obviously... well, Jagi from "Fist of the North Star".<br/>-Centerfold is J. Geil from "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 3: Stardust Crusaders" - with his demon form being entirely the appearance of his Stand, the Hanged Man.<br/>-And finally, Fore is Patrick Bateman from "American Psycho".</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Rise, Fall, Rise Again</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ryuji decides that enough is enough and quits the life of crime.<br/>After all, he did hear about something promising recently...</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A shorter chapter to finish Ryuji's tale off.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Wednesday, January 20th 2021, 3:20PM.</strong>
</p>
<p>"[I'm fuckin' done with this shit, Nishiki. It's always gonna be the same, ain't nothin' changed since 2006. Schemin' fucks, all their bullshit... time to leave it behind,]" Ryuji sighed, looking out of the passenger's window, a folded up piece of paper in his gloved hand.<br/>Nishiki, for his part, was gripping the steering wheel with rage-filled force as he kept driving around, cigarette between his lips. "[Didn't know... I didn't know...]" That's all he's been able to answer Ryuji's statements with for the past several minutes.<br/>The koi kept having flashes in his mind, back to that fateful night.</p>
<p>October 1st, 1995.<br/>The night Sohei Dojima tried forcing himself on Yumi.<br/>The night Nishiki shot Dojima through the eye with a snub-nosed revolver.<br/>The night Kiryu took the fall for his sworn brother's crime, and spent a decade in jail for it.<br/>The night Nishiki's ticket into Hell was secured.</p>
<p>Sometimes, across the flashes, Sohei's body changed... and became Valentino's body.<br/>"[Oi! I know ya didn't know, ya keep sayin' it. Knock it off,]" the dragon said, unfolding his paper. It was a flyer he had snatched from a bulletin board earlier in the day - something about rehabilitation at a Hotel. Really eye-catching, too.<br/>Snapped out of his murder-related episode, Nishiki looked over and quirked a brow at the sight of what Ryuji held. "[Isn't that for... Princess Magne's sinner rehab project?]"<br/>"[Yep. I'm sick o' this fuckin' shit. If she ain't messin' with us, this might let me see him again, when the time comes. Ain't sure if he ever <em>will</em> bite it, though.]"<br/>"[You're... talking about Kiryu, aren't you?]" Nishiki asked, sighing.</p>
<p>"[Ya can bet yer ass I am. I'm sure he's gonna be even stronger next time I see him. Wanna come along for the ride?]" Ryuji smiled ever so slightly, but Nishiki shook his head.<br/>"[No. I've done too much, Ryuji. I'll pay my penance, for as long as it may take. Besides... Kiryu wouldn't want to see me again.]" The koi's tone was somber, coming across as a man who thought himself irredeemable.<br/>"[Well, yer loss. Drive me down there, will ya?]"<br/>Some minutes later, Nishiki parked his car in front of the Happy Hotel, and Ryuji stepped out.</p>
<p>Turning to look back at his unexpected pal, the dragon spoke up. "[And... Nishiki? I think yer wrong. Kiryu's the forgivin' type... and I doubt he doesn't miss ya every hour of his fuckin' life.]"<br/>As the car drove off, Ryuji looked towards the hotel and started walking.</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <br/>
    <em>Just once in his life, a man has his time</em>
    <br/>
    <em>And my time is now, I'm coming alive!</em>
    <br/>
  </p>
</blockquote>Knocking at the front door, he barely had to wait ten seconds before it opened, his gaze drifting down to meet that of a woman in a red suit and black pants.<br/>"Hi! Are you... here to sign up?" She asked, while letting him in.<br/>"[Yea', I am. Got any availability?]" Looking back to her, he could see that she didn't speak his language. Which sucks, because he can't speak hers either. He can understand it, but not speak it.<br/>"Um... sorry, I didn't understand anything you just told me. Oh, wait, I got it! If you're here to join the Happy Hotel as a patient, nod at me!"<br/>Her cheerful nature was really infectious, and before he even thought about it, Ryuji nodded.<br/>Mere moments later, she had started writing the paperwork - and soon enough, Ryuji Goda, formerly second patriarch of the Go-Ryu Clan, a subsidiary of the Omi Alliance... was now part of the Happy Hotel family.<blockquote>
  <p>
    <br/>
    <em>I can hear the music playin', I can see the banners fly</em>
    <br/>
    <em>Feel like a man again, I'll hold my head high!</em>
    <br/>
  </p>
</blockquote>---<p>"[An' that's the story. Now ya know all there <em>is</em> to know 'bout why I'm here.]" Ryuji knocked back a glass of expensive alcohol that Husk had poured him, while the cat stood there, impressed and shocked by what he had heard.<br/>"[Man, you're really built fuckin' different, aren't ya? But... kinda glad you're here regardless,]" Husk admitted, filling up the dragon's glass as a blur sped past behind Ryuji's seat, heading toward the rec room.<br/>Taking a sip again, Ryuji placed his glass back down and got up. "[Well, I'm gonna go to my new room. 'ppreciate the drinks, <em>neko.</em> Oh, an' ya probably should check what's up with yer fuckin' phone. Keeps playin' weirdly context appropriate music, freakin' me out.]"</p>
<p>With that, the golden dragon walked to the grand staircase and ascended.<br/>So begins the redemption of Ryuji.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>That's the end of another yarn! But we're not done with the <em>Kansai no Ryu</em> trilogy, oh no. We've only just begun.<br/>Ryuji <em>did</em> leave a loose end, way back during the Extermination...</p>
<p>
  <em>We'll meet again...</em>
</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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